Posted on 11/12/2008 2:56:13 AM PST by billorites
harmacy-benefits manager Express Scripts Inc. said some of its clients have received anonymous letters threatening to expose the personal information of patients.
Express Scripts said it believes the threats, which were sent to sponsors who offer its prescription-drug plans rather than directly to patients, are related to an extortion attempt it disclosed last week.
The letters include personal details about patients, such as names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers, Express Scripts spokesman Steve Littlejohn said. They are similar to an extortion letter Express Scripts received in early October threatening to expose personal data about "millions" of patients covered in the company's drug plans, he added.
Government programs, employers, unions and managed-care companies offer prescription-drug coverage through St. Louis-based Express Scripts, one of the largest pharmacy-benefits managers in the country.
Mr. Littlejohn wouldn't specify how many or what types of clients had received the letters, beyond saying the number was "small." The company wouldn't say how many patients were named in the letters.
Express Scripts said it immediately informed the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which was already investigating the extortion attempt, about the new threats and has established a $1 million reward for information that results in the arrest and conviction of those perpetrating the blackmail.
The company said it is notifying patients who were named in the letters but thus far isn't aware of any misuse of its members' data.
The company said it would offer its members free identity-restoration services if they become victims of identity theft as a result of the breach. It has contracted with New York risk-consulting firm Kroll Inc. to assist its members in those cases.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
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I used to work for Caremark/CVS. Always wondered how long it would take for something like this to occur.
Darned sick and tired of companies not spending enough to protect the identity of their clients/customers.
I get my Rx’s thru Express-Scripts, so I have some experience with them. I am insured thru my wife’s employer (a large hospital chain spreading over several states).
Express-Scripts is an absolutely huge operation — they handle huge contracts for goobermint agencies and other major employers.
A year or so ago, they misplaced 3 or my prescriptions I mailed in (all mailed in separate envelopes). I spent time on the phone with them, but they couldn’t locate them — claimed no record of receiving them. It’s not like it is easy to replace scrips — try going to your doctor and getting 3 scrips replaced, and when asked why, “all three were lost in the mail, in separate envelopes, to my mail-order pharmacy — right, like the doc is going to buy that.
So I filed a complaint with the state Pharmacy board, complete with copies of my scrips and paperwork mailed in and full documentation. The Pharmacy board responded quickly to me with a phone call, and then acted quickly. I soon got a call from a fairly high-up “trouble-shooter” guy at Express-Scripts. They did manage to find my scripts — it was their error — they scan everything and store it digital, and it got stuffed away in the wrong database. He gave me his private line # now to call if I have any more problems — I think he’d rather I didn’t file any more complaints with the Pharmacy Board, LOL, but I was left with no choice in this case.
It’s now up on the Tricare website. This effects military and retired military.
I don't think it's possible. I guess you can sue and punish, and then watch your costs go up and up. But that only makes lawyers happy.
You did right. It worked. But if you liked the service you got from the person who fixed it and apologized...could you call and thank him, or something like that? I can't tell you how that would make his day. People who knock themselves out like this in ERs and and such never, never get a word of thanks. And when they do, they print it out and put it on their bulletin boards next to their kid's pictures, cause they'll only get a couple of these in their careers.
I did talk to the guy on the phone, and I certainly did thank him. He was a nice guy.
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